1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to control circuitry for optic filters, and more specifically to a control circuit for an acousto-optic tunable filter that automatically optimizes filter control parameters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) is used to select particular light wavelengths from an incident beam. Wavelength selection is needed in many areas of technology, such as fluorescence spectroscopy, microscopy, and optical communication systems. In addition to wavelength selection, AOTFs provide a means for light modulation of either or both wavelength and amplitude. AOTF performance is sensitive to various parameters including environmental temperature, acoustic power applied and combinations of frequencies, which can alter the AOTF crystal material properties and cause drift of output intensity. Due to this sensitivity, an AOTF crystal may be placed in a temperature controlled environment, which only partially stabilizes the crystal performance.